Suspects Arrested in Vietnam for Allegedly Scaming $160,000 Using Influencer's Name

In Da Nang City, central Vietnam, authorities have arrested eight individuals for allegedly operating a sophisticated scam that defrauded over 4 billion VND (approximately $160,000) by impersonating a well-known influencer, 'Huấn Hoa Hồng.' The group is accused of fabricating bank affiliations and extorting money under the guise of processing fees and taxes. The arrested suspects include Vu Duc Phong, 29; Nguyen Ha Hien, 28; Nguyen Khac Doan, 21; Nguyen Huu Son, 30; and Hoang Van Tien, 29. Three others – Nguyen Manh Quang, 32; Tran Thi Dieu Linh, 17; and Pham Van Hiep, 30 – are also under investigation for fraud and illicit drug use. According to the investigation, Phong allegedly purchased multiple SIM cards for burner phones and created a Telegram group named 'Agency.' From this group, he directed Hien and Doan to establish Facebook pages under the name 'Huan Linh Group.' These pages featured images and videos of 'Huấn Hoa Hồng' to advertise loan services, falsely claiming a partnership with Techcombank to build trust. When individuals seeking loans submitted their personal information and identification, the suspects would inform them their application was approved and demand an upfront 'processing fee' of 1-2%. Subsequently, they would send fake transaction confirmations, citing 'incorrect transfer details' as a reason to demand an additional 'tax' of 10%. Victims continued to comply until they realized they had been defrauded and all contact was severed. The illicit proceeds were allegedly transferred to Son for money laundering, with Son receiving a 4% commission per transaction. Son would then move the funds through various bank accounts before hiring Tien to withdraw the cash. Between June 11 and 14, the ring is accused of defrauding a 62-year-old woman in Thang Binh commune, Da Nang City, of nearly 54 million VND. Initial electronic data analysis suggests that hundreds of people nationwide have been defrauded, with total losses exceeding 4 billion VND. During the search of Son's residence, police discovered evidence of organizing and using illegal drugs. Son, Linh, and Hiep tested positive for narcotics. Authorities seized 45 mobile phones, 12 bank cards, a laptop, a Ford Raptor car, a BMW S1000RR motorcycle, 60 million VND in cash, and other related documents. Source: VnExpress